WWF dredges up more lies

SEPTEMBER 22, 2015: WORLD Wildlife Fund (WWF) were called out during a hearing for the Register of Environmental Organisations in Canberra for using an image of dredging in Boston Harbor to create false impressions about the Abbot Point port expansion in North Queensland.I challenged WWF about an image used by the Fight For The Reef campaign (which is run by WWF in conjunction with the Australian Marine Conservation Society) in a social media promotion soliciting donations to their cause.The original photo could be found here on istockphoto*, run by Getty Images, where it is described as: “A dredge is making a part of Boston Harbor deeper so that it can handle different ships and boats. A big scoop pulling water a (sic) debris from the bottom clearing a way for progress.”WWF have used a bucket scoop dredging image from the Boston Harbor because it looks more dramatic and reinforces their lie but the equipment that will be used for the Abbot Point port expansion will be an environmentally sound and enclosed vacuum suction device operating about 50km from the nearest reef.Earlier this year, Greenpeace was caught out promoting images of a reef damaged by a cyclone in the Philippines as damage from mining on the Great Barrier Reef.Right from the start, these anti-coal campaigners have had to exaggerate and lie to make an emotional appeal for support and money.Unfortunately, organisations like WWF and Greenpeace have duped millions of dollars out of Australians by peddling lies like this and GetUp!’s claim that ‘toxic sludge’ would be dumped ‘on’ the reef.They have had to resort to these fraudulent tactics because the truth wouldn’t result in donations.We have seen around 10,000 jobs lost around Central and North Queensland but instead of allowing billions of dollars of investment to create jobs, the well organised extreme greens are waging a war against coal – not for any environmental reasons but solely for an ideological agenda.It is even more disappointing when you consider that these fraudulent campaigns are subsidised by taxpayers.It’s time these organisations were held to account like any other organisation and had their tax deductibility status stripped.